The 3-Day Refresh: A Quick, No-Starve Detox

Since the beginning of summer, I’ve been battling nutritional lions, letting too many nasty things back into my diet. It’s amazing how letting my Food Essential slip — even for just a few days — negatively impacts my body.

Eating out too much, indulging in too many high-calorie drinks, and letting my “snack factor” get the best of me at cookouts, family gatherings, and at home takes a toll. The scale creeps up, my skin breaks out, I sleep through morning devotionals, my workouts slack… exhaustion and lack of motivation and clarity ensues. When my husband, Mike left for Annual Training with the Army at the end of June, I knew I had to do something a little drastic to get back on the Daniel Plan track.

I am absolutely committed to my Daniel Plan journey, but I felt like I needed something a little more potent than the 10-day Daniel Plan Detox. I searched online for a detox that was 1. healthy, 2. all natural, and 3. didn’t require abject starvation (Lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper?! They can’t be serious…). Few truly healthy, metabolism-preserving options were found — save this one.

The high-protein, high fiber detox is easy to follow, and offers pre-portioned health shakes and simple meal plan options. I scanned the shake ingredient lists looking for something nasty – instead, I found a power mix of “superfoods” I could never afford to buy individually at the grocery store.

For all you purists out there, YES, the shakes are technically “packaged” — but they meet Rick Warren’s Daniel Plan criteria: pronounceable and recognizable ingredients, no preservatives, no additives, no chemicals… no artificial anything.

Here’s a Day in the Life on the 3-Day Refresh:

Wake-Up: Drink 8-12 ounces of filtered water (You’ll drink at least half your body weight in ounces throughout the day.)

Mid-Morning “Snack” (at least an hour after breakfast): Fiber Sweep drink, blended with water (note: I hesitate to call this a “snack” because it is more of a digestive health drink you need to chug! The texture is weird, but the taste is actually very nice – citrusy.)

Lunch (at least an hour after Fiber Sweep): Vanilla Fresh shake blended with water (similar to Shakeology, but with a little more protein and calories to keep you satisfied), plus a fruit option, a veggie option and a healthy fat (think almond butter, hummus, olive oil – many to choose from!)

Dinner: Vanilla Fresh shake blended with water plus a meal made from one of the healthy, vegan Dinner Recipes in the program guide

Optional: Evening Tea — unsweetened or herbal

Was I hungry? At first — yes. But by day three, I could barely get through the Vanilla Fresh shake because I felt so full! When you drink enough water, get enough fiber and eat more plant-based foods, it’s amazing how well your system responds.

One point worth mentioning: They recommend limited physical activity during the three days. You average an intake of somewhere between 900 and 1,100 calories per day depending on your choices (it’s only three days!), so it’s best to take it easy. I did low-impact PiYo workouts (40 mins or less) and felt great.

My 3-Day Refresh results were remarkable — and lasting!

In three days, I lost 4.7 lbs, 2 inches off my waist and 1.5 inches off my hips. (I took before and after photos — but I stupidly wore a teeny bikini and now I’m too shy to post them online. D’oh!) More importantly, I felt so much better — more clarity and focus, no cravings, fewer stomach and digestive issues.

The best part? The results actually last! I was convinced I had lost only water weight, but I’m now five days back into an abundant Daniel Plan lifestyle — and I haven’t gained an ounce back. I feel amazing.

Living a Daniel Plan lifestyle absolutely doesn’t require programs like the 3-Day refresh. But when I find something I like that fits the lifestyle — henna hair dye, the perfect natural peanut butter, or a healthful detox program that won’t kill you — you better believe I am going to share it with you!

You can learn more about The 3-Day Refresh, Shakeology and other Beachbody programs here under “shop.”
I coach people through this Refresh and other programs, so I can answer any questions! Feel free to comment below.

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